Kharibari, 30th December: In a recent development, the police thwarted an attempt to smuggle wood to Bihar and arrested a smuggler with over ₹1 lakh worth of sal wood. The arrested individual has been identified as Nirmal Tigga, a resident of Merry View Jote in Naxalbari.
According to sources, the smuggler was attempting to transport the stolen wood in a vehicle. The vehicle was intercepted by police in the Fulbar Jote area of Kharibari, where the sal was recovered.
Police reports suggest that the sal was illegally cut from the forest and was being smuggled after being processed. The arrested suspect has been presented in the Siliguri Sub-Divisional Court while further investigation is underway.